New District 4 state Sen. Jim Nielsen sworn in

CourtesySurrounded by family and friends, former Assemblyman Jim Nielsen was sworn into office to represent the 4th Senate District. The swearing-in ceremony took place in the Senate Chambers at the state capitol, with the oath of office administered by longtime friend Associate Justice George Nicholson, 3rd District Court of Appeals, and Nielsen's wife, Marilyn, holding a family bible.

AUBURN CA - Republican Jim Nielsen was sworn in Thursday as the new 4th state senator.

The election for the sprawling Northern California district, which takes in part of North Auburn and Meadow Vista, as well as Lincoln, Rocklin and Loomis, took place Tuesday, with Nielsen defeating labor leader Michael “Mickey” Harrington, a Democrat.

“It is a great honor and privilege to serve again,” Nielsen said. “Serving the citizens of the North State has been and continues to be my priority. I will carry on my work to push for a state government that serves the people rather than itself.”

Nielsen, a Gerber resident with 16 years experience as a legislator in Sacramento, said he will also be advocating a “business-friendly economy.”

“Too many willing and able Californians are still unemployed,” Nielsen said.

Harrington said Thursday that District 4 voters have elected a representative in the state Senate who has a record of doing nothing.

“I think the people voting for him made a mistake,” Harrington said. “But that’s the choice for elections.”

Harrington said that he feels he’ll have a better chance two years from now, when redistricting takes effect and parts of Carmichael and Rancho Cordova are added to District 4. At the same time, Del Norte, Shasta and Siskiyou counties are being removed.

Law and order is also at the top of Nielsen’s to-do list as he returns to the Capitol. He said that he will fight to change the recently passed prison realignment law – Assembly Bill 109.

“I will continue my efforts to stop the crime wave created by AB 109,” Nielsen said.

Nielsen barely missed avoiding a runoff last November after polling 49.8 percent of the vote in the primary. He needed a majority to win the Nov. 6 election outright. Harrington polled 27.7 percent of the vote in November. Dan Logue, who chose to withdraw from the District 4 election before Nov. 6 and endorse Nielsen, garnered 11.5 percent of the vote.

The district covers the eastern side of Northern California from Placer to Shasta counties. Tuesday’s special election was for a two-year term to serve out the last half of District 1 U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa’s term.

Nielsen received 66.7 percent of the vote district-wide on Tuesday, according to the state’s preliminary county. Placer County’s count shows Nielsen polled 14,047 of the total votes cast within the county, or 69.38 percent.

“I am humbled by the confidence voters have placed in me, and as always, I will strive to be their voice in the state capitol,” Nielsen said.